Mid-March, 2020. It was time for the third and final ODI of the series between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens. It was a curtain-raiser of sorts before the IPL took over. That was when Covid wreaked havoc in our lives. The world had not yet come to terms with the virus, and vaccines and therapeutics were a fair distance away. Closure or lockdowns were the only solution, and on the evening of March 11, it was made known that the game had been called off as a precautionary measure. The IPL too was postponed, and Kolkata was soon in the throes of the virus.
Thereafter, each time Eden has hosted an international fixture, it has been full. It is as if the fans can never get enough of it. Wednesday night was no exception. A bilateral T20 isn’t always the most exciting contest, and yet, 65,000 people turned up to support the Indian team under Suryakumar Yadav. Even before the first ball was bowled, the stadium was almost full. And as the England innings progressed, the cheers became louder.
On a lovely winter evening, Eden Gardens was all decked up. A trip to one of the best cricket stadiums in the world, and you came across happy and vibrant faces. Fans had started to queue up hours in advance, and all tickets made available to the public were sold out. More than the result, it is the occasion that matters. Watching India on home turf in Kolkata. The CAB officials worked round the clock to make sure things were in place. The inauguration of the Jhulan Goswami Stand was an added attraction.
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It is a very different feeling as one goes into Eden Gardens. At least for me. Despite seeing cricket in stadiums like the MCG, where the facilities are much improved and better, Eden is different. Call it sentiment or call it emotion, there is indeed a certain aura to this place. In May 2021, it had been converted into a Covid facility with healthcare workers making the stadium home. Sport had taken a backseat, and all seemed dark and gloomy. Now, all that appears a million miles away, with fans getting their favourite venue back to themselves. With India closing out the game easily, fans enjoyed an early night without having to worry about transport options to get home.
As for me, I left with 8 overs done in the Indian innings. By then, things were a formality and I was getting bored. For the 65000 fans, however, it did not matter if the match was one-sided. For them, an Indian win is all that is relevant. The story of Indian cricket in many ways. You win, and all is well. You don’t, and leaks take centre stage. For the thousands who made it a point to go to the game, Eden did not disappoint them.
In fact, in many ways, it was the perfect night out. Rather, near perfect. Had Mohammed Shami played the game, it would have been the icing on the cake. Many had turned up to see him play and wear the blue again. While they will have to wait for a few more days, for Varun Chakaravarthy and Abhishek Sharma and their fans, it was a game to remember at a venue that one of them calls home.
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